The Lion's Tale
by OhTex
Summary: Godric Gryffindor lived adventures most would never even dream of. But his biggest adventure would begin when the doors of Hogwarts opened for the first time and he chose his first ever student. Godric/OC. Snippets from an unexpected relationship.
1. Year One

A/N: _Hello everyone! First off, thanks so much for clicking this story! For some reason, Founders isn't that popular so thanks so much for having a gander. Secondly, this is a plot I've been working on for quite a while and it's been slow progress (especially for a story that will only be four chapters!) so it's quite odd to be finally posting it!_

_I hope you enjoy it :)_

* * *

YEAR ONE

The First Sorting

"If we are anxious, imagine how the students must feel!"

Godric sighed and took another swig of his mead. He didn't see why his friends were so nervous. After all, they'd spent ten years building this school and this was the day they had been waiting for, was it not? Their first batch of students.

"They will merely take it all in their stride." Salazar responded to Helga confidently. "Children do not fear the same things as we do."

No sooner had Salazar finished his sentence, the huge doors to the Great Hall were opened and Rowena led in a line of children of all ages, some looking scared, some excited and others merely curious. When they reached the front, Rowena gestured for them all to sit at the long table in the middle of the hall, opposite the Founders' table which had been placed on the higher level, allowing them to view all of the students. Rowena stood on the steps leading up to the Founders' table and placed a small three-legged stool on the stone floor.

"Upon hearing your name, please sit on the stool, facing us, and we will question you in order to attain which house you would be best suited."

Godric resisted the urge to roll his eyes; it was typical of Rowena to make everything seem grander and more complex than it was. He adored her, like he adored all of his friends, but she did have an awful tendency to go a little over-board. If it had been him calling out the names, then he would have been a little more informal to try and make them more comfortable with their new surroundings. Godric glanced at Helga and knew that she was probably thinking the same thing.

Rowena took her place next on the end next to Salazar and unrolled a piece of parchment on which they had written all of the children's names on. Or rather, Salazar and Helga had. They had been the ones that had sought out the children while Rowena worked on making the castle more teaching friendly by stocking a small library and organising the classrooms and Godric had been preparing the grounds, ensuring no animals too dangerous lived close by. So in truth, Godric had very little knowledge about the students before him. But he was excited to know more. As Rowena read out the first child's name and Helga began asking him questions while the other students watched, it hit Godric that it was finally happening. They _finally _opened the school.

"I think you may be best suited to Professor Slytherin's house." Helga said after asking only three questions, directing the young boy to Salazar who nodded at him and placed a green band around the boy's wrist.

The young boy sat down and Rowena called another name. Godric didn't ask this young girl any questions either. While they had still been building the school and had discussed the sorting process, he had always maintained, that when he saw a student walk towards them, he would know if they belonged with him or not. And this young girl did not.

As Godric watched her nervously answer questions from a patient Helga, Godric knew before Helga even said it.

"I think you are best suited to Professor Ravenclaw's house."

Just as he thought. Godric took another swig of mead. If they were all like this, he would end up alone in his house. Two more were called from the group of a little over fifty and Godric was still yet to say anything. Even Salazar had been asking questions, though they had mostly been about ancestry. After the third student had sat down again with a yellow band around his wrist, Rowena called out,

"Miss Sarah Clarke."

One of the tallest students stood and made her way up the stool with a confident, if a little cautious, air about her. Godric realised she was not a child like the others they had seen, she was already a young woman. She sat down, a slight smile on her face.

"Hello again, Miss Clarke." Helga said kindly, revealing to Godric that it had been her who had found this girl. "I am glad you were able to attend. Your parents did not try to prevent you from coming?"

"No, ma'am. My aunt explained everything to them." The girl said with a broader smile.

"You were born to Muggles?" Salazar piped up, studying her closely.

She nodded. Godric risked a sneaky glance at Salazar and saw that his friend had leaned back in his chair and turned his attention back to his wine, evidently not interested in getting her into his house. _More fool him, _Godric thought as he sat up straighter in his own chair.

"How old are you, Miss Clarke?" He asked and the others all looked at him, surprised that he had finally spoken.

"I am six and ten, sir." There was no tremor in her voice.

"Then why are you not married?" Godric then realised that his question sounded rather abrupt so he smiled kindly at her, hoping that it would not seem so harsh. Thankfully, she seemed to understand the logic in his query and took no offence.

"I was engaged to be married, sir. But then my parents, when they discovered I had magic that is, gave me a choice between marrying and having children or coming here and learning. I chose here."

"Brave." Godric said, his tone (and indeed his words) holding an obvious meaning that did not escape his fellow teachers. He left a silence in which the others could have asked her their own questions. They did not.

"So she is yours then, Godric?" Helga confirmed after a pause, raising a pale eyebrow. He glanced at the young woman again before nodding at Helga. "Miss Clarke, it seems you are suited to Professor Gryffindor's house."

Sarah Clarke leapt off the stool, beaming, and held out her wrist to Godric who tied a red band around it and smiled at her as she retreated back to her seat.

"You see?" He muttered to the others as the next student walked towards the stool. "I just know."

In the Common Room after the meal, Godric stood before his new students (who were _ooh_-ing at the red decor and the roaring fire) and studied at them all. Out of the four of them, Godric knew his house contained the least students. He was extremely fussy about whom he picked; to the extent that he had refused a young boy Helga had proclaimed to be suitable for his house. Helga had glared at him but, not wanting to argue in front of the students, she had pretended that she had merely said the wrong house and accepted the poor boy into hers. Godric knew he would have a roasting for that when they all gathered in their staff room later for some supper.

Out of the fifty seven students that had come, Godric only chose eleven. In his house, the oldest was a boy of seventeen who had left his private tutoring due to his parents' dwindling finances, then it was Sarah Clarke and then beneath her were two boys of fifteen who, it seemed, were already friends. Then beneath them, there were seven children between the ages of eleven and fourteen who had all stood together, nervous and excited.

After a decade of preparation, his life's work was finally ready to begin. He took a deep breath and said,

"Welcome to Hogwarts and welcome to Gryffindor House."

* * *

Godric's First Lesson

Godric tapped his foot impatiently, watching the group of students come out of the Entrance Hall and head down the lawns towards him. As far as he knew, they had been to one lesson before this one (Charms, he thought, with kindly Helga) but Godric hadn't; this was the first lesson he would ever teach. And thankfully, it was his favourite subject: Magical Creatures.

As the students all gathered in front of him, he was immediately glad that his first lesson was with a group of the older students that were a mixture of his Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. With the older students, Godric felt more comfortable talking to them on his own level while he felt he would have a little difficulty talking to them in a way they could understand without talking down to them. Godric had a feeling he was going to have to tell a lot of stories.

"Good morning!" Godric called and the students in front of him stopped talking between themselves and listened to him. "Did you all find Charms interesting?" There was a murmur of approval and Godric was glad that Helga had managed to put them all in a good mood. "Today, I have decided to begin with something I know to be both safe _and_ spectacular. Throughout these lessons, we shall be studying creatures of all shapes and sizes, both friendly and hostile in nature. But today, I present to you..." He pulled the fabric off the paddock he was standing in front of. "Brutus!"

They all gasped and nudged each other, watching as Godric pulled open the gate and led Brutus out.

"Brutus is my winged horse and he has accompanied me through many adventures. He has been my sole companion over my years travelling and now he is happy to have found a home in the grounds here." One of the Hufflepuff girls cooed at this and Brutus snorted loudly, puffing out his chest. "Which of you can tell me what breed of winged horse Brutus is?"

His question was met with silence.

"Anyone?"

"Aethonan?"

Godric peered around to find the source of the voice. Finally, he found it. "Very good, Miss Clarke." She smiled, pleased with herself. "Now, Miss Clarke, what features does my dear Brutus possess that led you to that conclusion? Come closer and examine him."

She obeyed and the others watched with baited breath as she slowly raised her hand to stroke his mane. He neighed and she laughed, scratching his ears gently. "He has...a chestnut colouring and he has longer legs than the other breeds. He is also a little more muscular which I believe is the main reason why Aethonan horses are slower flyers than their counterparts."

"Brilliantly correct!" He said and she beamed. "Miss Clarke, as reward for your correct answers, I offer you a ride on Brutus' back."

She opened and closed her mouth a few times before nodding cautiously. He grinned and he took her hand in his large one, helping her onto Brutus' sturdy back. She fidgeted nervously and he waited for her to become comfortable before he tapped Brutus' behind. She squealed a little as Brutus' wings stretched out and she began getting higher and higher into the air. He laughed as she clung on and Brutus' almighty wings created an incredible wind around Godric and the other students. He let them both hover there in the air for a few moments before calling Brutus back down. He circled twice and then obeyed his master, his hooves landing on the grass with a soft thud.

Windswept and beaming, she slid off without Godric's help, thanked him and joining her fellow students again, still smiling. She collected her books and bag from one of the Hufflepuff girls and waited for the lesson to continue, fussing a little with her hair that had escaped from her loose plait.

Godric cleared his throat and firmly reminded himself that he had other students as well as Miss Clarke.

"Who else would like to sit upon Brutus' back?"

Hands shot in the air.

* * *

The Flying Lesson

Sarah shivered and pulled her cloak tighter around herself as she followed her fellow classmates through the Entrance Hall and outside into the frosty grounds. They had been surprised that morning when Professor Ravenclaw had announced over breakfast that, now they were in a new term after the Winter Solstice, there would be a new kind of lesson for them all to take part in at once.

Intrigued, they had all eaten their breakfast quickly, eager to find out what lay in store for them. Now they were outside, Sarah was none the wiser. All she could see in front of her was her four professors all stood facing them, holding what looked like old sweeping brushes. Once all the students were gathered, Professor Hufflepuff cleared her throat and said,

"Today, we shall be teaching you something a little different. You may have heard that there has been a new invention which allows us to take to the skies on just a broom." Hufflepuff held up the broom in her hands and Sarah raised her eyebrows. That broom looked no more secure than a branch. She wasn't sure she'd be very comfortable with the idea of it being the only thing keeping her from crashing to the floor.

"Yes." Said Professor Gryffindor suddenly, waving his own broom in the air. "These brooms are a new way for us to travel wherever we want, whenever we want. We control them with our wands – "

"No, Professor Gryffindor, we do not." Professor Slytherin cut in suddenly, looking a little amused.

"Ah...no, we do not! My mistake! We...er..."

Sarah watched, embarrassed for her Professor, as he struggled to explain something to them he evidently did not understand himself. She willed one of the other teachers to come to his aid and, thankfully, Professor Ravenclaw spoke up, more knowledgeable on the matter.

"We stand to the side of our brooms..." As she spoke, she acted out her words, stepping up to the side of her broom which she had laid out on the floor. The other professors followed; Slytherin confidently, Hufflepuff and Godric a little more tentatively. "Then we put our hand over the broom and say 'up!'" All four brooms leapt up into the professors' hands and they all looked a little impressed. "Then we mount our brooms and push up from the ground firmly, controlling the broom by leaning forwards to gain speed, sitting up to slow down and leaning side to side to direct it."

All four professors then took to the skies. Sarah watched as Ravenclaw glided through the air, peering over at Hufflepuff who was swaying a little precariously. Slytherin was low on his broom, circling Gryffindor and grinning rather mischievously. Gryffindor himself was wobbling on his broom but had an air of confidence regardless which Sarah thought was very brave...or quite possibly just very foolish.

"Then we touch back down by sitting up completely!" Ravenclaw called from the air and demonstrated by sitting up carefully and lowing herself slowly back to the ground. Slytherin followed, then Hufflepuff who looked glad to be back on solid ground, leaving Gryffindor in the air. Beaming down at them all with his usual infectious boyish smile, he decided to circle them all in the air a few more times, ignoring his complete lack of ability and relying on sheer nerve.

"How about a loop to finish?" He called down, his grin getting wider.

"Are you sure that is wise, Professor Gryffindor?" Hufflepuff asked, sounding wary.

"Of course! Who does not enjoy a thrilling somersault?"

With that, he led almost flat on his broom and gained speed before sharply pulling up at the last minute and shooting further up into the air. However, instead of completing an impressive loop, he lost his grip on the broom and slid off, only one hand clinging to the handle as his legs thrashed pathetically in the air.

Sarah was caught between concern and amusement. Her amusement outweighed her concern when she glanced at the other professors who were all barely containing their laugher rather than rushing to his aid. She heard her fellow students begin to laugh and she couldn't help but join in; the sight of her professor dangling in the air trying to hook his leg back over his broom but with no avail really was rather amusing.

After a few awkward attempts at re-mounting his broom, Gryffindor dropped from the broom to the ground and landed in a heap, his broom clattering down after him. Despite the fact that he hadn't been very high in the air, Sarah still felt a jolt of worry and was one of the few who hurried over to him, Professor Hufflepuff at the front. But no sooner had they reached him, he back on his feet, that irresistible grin still on his face.

"Well!" He puffed, pulling a piece of grass from his red hair. "At least you have all learned that you should never attempt a loop in your first lesson!"

Many of the students laughed at that, amused by their professor's honesty and his blatant attempt to impress them all.

After that, things calmed down considerably. The students were instructed to work in groups of six and were given a broom which they were meant to share between them. Sarah volunteered to go first out of her group seen as all of the other girls were too scared and kept giggling and passing it around to the next person. When she was in the air, she suddenly realised how easy it was to fall off just as Professor Gryffindor had. Thankfully, Sarah had enough sense to not attempt to perform any sort of tricks and was content to circle in the air a while, her friends squealing at her to be careful. As exhilarating as it was to be in the air, Sarah was glad to touch back down on solid ground and hand it over to Annie, a Hufflepuff girl Sarah had become best friends with since they began at the school four months ago.

It took a while for each person in each of the groups to try out the brooms and when the lesson was finally complete, it was time for lunch. Sarah volunteered to give the broom back to the professors and told the others to go on without her. Sarah waited behind the other students patiently until it was finally her turn to give up her broom. Professor Gryffindor took it from her with a wide smile and she couldn't help but smile back.

"Miss Clarke, did you enjoy your lesson this morning?"

"I think I enjoyed it more than you, Professor." She replied, knowing that she could get away with being a little cheeky with him.

He laughed heartily and nodded. "I think perhaps you are right! It seems flying on a broom is not destined to be a skill of mine."

She grinned. "If it is any consolation, I do not think it will ever be mine either. It seems very unsteady; though perhaps that was just my own inadequacies."

He shook his head. "I doubt it. I do not think we are destined to ever be skilled at something so precise...I believe that talent is reserved to those of a more delicate nature like Professor Ravenclaw."

"Professor Gryffindor? Come, we must put the brooms away! We do not want them to become damaged!" Ravenclaw called bang on cue.

"Of course, Professor! Quite right!" He called back before turning back to Sarah and winking. "It seems I must go."

"I must also. My friends have gone on without me." Sarah gave him one last smile before heading back towards the castle, hurrying to catch up with her friends.

* * *

The Duelling Lesson

After spending the first half of the school year learning all about the history and the protocols of duelling, Sarah was excited that they were finally seeing a demonstration and were being allowed to have a go themselves. They gathered around the long stage in the Great Hall, chattering to each other about who would be the ones to teach them. Sarah felt Annie nudge her excitedly and she pointed across the room to the door where Professors Slytherin and Gryffindor had entered, still grinning from some joke they had evidently shared before entering.

"Right!" Gryffindor clapped his hands and strode onto the stage, Slytherin walking more gracefully behind him. "I know you have all studied the noble art of duelling very thoroughly but I should imagine that you have all become rather bored with just reading about it so Professor Slytherin and I have decided that a demonstration is called for!"

Many of the students around Sarah began whispering at that and Annie leaned over to her and said quietly, "Let us hope that this is better than that flying demonstration."

Sarah laughed softly and shook her head. "Oh, Annie you are cruel! Besides, I do not think you give Professor Gryffindor enough credit. I have heard he is a remarkable dueller."

Annie raised her eyebrows and Sarah blushed a little, realising she may have been a little too gushing in her defence of her professor so she turned back to the scene unravelling on the stage.

"What is the first step before we duel?" Professor Slytherin asked.

"You walk towards each other." One of the Ravenclaw students answered.

Gryffindor and Slytherin met in the middle of the stage, standing two feet apart. "And now?" Slytherin asked again.

"You bow to each other!" Sarah jumped in surprise as Annie called out next to her. They watched as their professors bowed slowly before retreating to opposite ends of the stage, turning and raising their wands.

"After three beats," Slytherin continued. "We cast our spells."

The Great Hall fell into a long, heavy silence until both men launched into action at once. Sarah had never seen anything like it; neither of them cast their spells out loud, making it even harder to distinguish between the flashes of light passing between them. It also meant that it was impossible to tell who was winning a fact not helped by them grinning at each other, enjoying the competition as they attacked and blocked seamlessly. Eventually, the duel stopped abruptly when they seemed to disarm each other at once, wands flying into the air and falling between them on the stage with a clatter. Gryffindor's smile widened, lessening the tense silence.

"As you can see, it is hard to distinguish a winner when the two competitors are as evenly matched as Professor Slytherin and I."

The students all burst into applause, overwhelmed at the spectacle they had just seen and eager to try it out for themselves. They were instructed to pair off, find a space in the vast hall and begin practising their techniques while Gryffindor and Slytherin made their way around them all, correcting their postures and suggesting more powerful spells.

Sarah and Annie were just about to cast their third round of spells wondering how they could make their duelling look as good as their teachers' when Professor Slytherin reached them. He told them both to straighten their backs a little and keep their gaze locked on their opponents as it helped anticipate their next move. He watched them duel their next round before moving off, satisfied that, as older students, they had a good understanding of duelling.

Sarah's gaze had just slipped over Annie's shoulder when a bolt of light shot at her and scolded her shoulder. She winced and looked at Annie, not sure whether she should be offended or embarrassed that she had been caught off guard. Annie smirked mischievously.

"What is it?" Sarah asked, rubbing her sore shoulder.

Annie moved closer, stage whispering, "You were looking for Professor Gryffindor, were you not?"

Sarah blushed and cursed inwardly. "Why would I be looking for Professor Gryffindor?"

"Because _you_ wanted him to come over instead of Professor Slytherin!"

Sarah snorted and hoped it sounded convincing. Annie's words were true but she didn't want to admit it out loud. Besides, Sarah was still persuading herself that she only admired him and his achievements; that sounded much better than acting like some foolish infatuated girl.

"Do not be ridiculous Annie! Why would it matter to me whichever Professor speaks with us?"

It was at that moment, when Sarah thought she had managed to convince Annie that she did not have a fondness for Professor Gryffindor, that the man himself called to her from the across the hall.

"Miss Clarke? Are you well?"

For a moment, Sarah couldn't understand his concern until she realised she was still rubbing her shoulder. She cleared her throat and found her voice.

"I am quite well thank you, Professor!"

He nodded and smiled before turning back to the pair of young Hufflepuffs he was helping and Sarah sighed. Annie's expression was one of pure amusement and Sarah felt herself going red. Annie's grin just got wider.

* * *

A Long Summer

Godric tapped his desk with his fingers, sighing. He couldn't quite believe it was the end of the first year already and a long, quiet summer was stretching out in front of him. While he knew the break was what they all needed, he was sure that he would end up being bored without the students there to occupy his time.

"Professor?"

Godric turned to see one of his older students lingering in the doorway. "Miss Clarke." He beamed, beckoning her inside. She understood the gesture and stepped inside his office, gazing around at empty fireplace, the cluttered desk, his chair with the cloak on the back and the dark oak door that led on to his private quarters. He stood, remembering his manners at last, and offered her his seat which she took gratefully. He pushed some of his possessions off a small end table and perched on that, hoping it wouldn't buckle beneath him.

"What can I do for you?"

"I require your advice on something that has been troubling me."

Godric frowned as wave of concern washed over him. "Please, go on."

"I cannot decide where to live this summer until school begins again. I am torn between wanting to explore my abilities which my aunt has promised she will help me with and wanting to remain faithful to my family. If I want my aunt's assistance I must move away from home and I am not sure that I am brave enough."

Godric gave this a moment thought and tried not to be off put by the fact that she watched him thinking. "From what you have just spoken, it seems as though you are longing to be living with your aunt and your only concern about that is that you will unintentionally eschew your parents."

She nodded slowly and Godric felt a little triumphant that he had got it right. "This is correct, Professor. But what can I do about it?"

"Your bravery is not faltering here; in fact it is your chivalrous side that is overtaking you. You are too concerned about other's well being and less about your own. Consider what you want, otherwise you may find yourself living in regret."

"You are saying that I should consent to live my aunt?"

"I am saying that you should do whatever you think will make you happy. If that is living with your aunt in school holidays, then your parents should be accepting of that."

She nodded and her face broke into a smile. She stood and brushed her skirts down. "Thank you, Professor. That has cleared my mind."

"I am glad." Godric replied, taking his weight off the straining end table.

She walked to the door and turned just before she left saying, "Have a good summer, Professor."

He smiled. "The same to you."

She closed the door behind her and Godric was plunged into silence again. He sat back down in his warm seat with a sigh and shuffled the papers on his desk pointlessly. He dropped them back onto the table and realised his desk was in even more of a mess than before. He pushed the chair away from his desk and stood again, wandering over to the window to see the first students beginning to leave the castle and head for home.

He huffed. He was bored already.

* * *

_Thanks so much for reading and please leave a review...I love hearing what you think!_


	2. Year Two: Part I

A/N: _Thanks to **Moonlit Dreaming, MayFairy **and **Loki'd-into-oblivion** for reviewing! I hope you enjoy this chapter too! I've split Sarah second (and last!) year into two parts so I was able to write what I wanted rather than cutting it down just so it would fit in one._

_Anyway, enjoy the chapter!_

* * *

YEAR TWO: PART I

The Return Feast

Godric lowered himself into his seat at the staff table, groaning slightly. He was aching to the bone after returning from his travels earlier that day. Helga had been furious that he had left it so late to return but Godric had defended himself by saying that he hadn't gone for long. That was true; he had tried to stay in the castle for the summer but by the time he was a half of the way through, he was almost bored to tears and decided to take Brutus on a flight over Britain's finest and highest hills.

But now, he was looking forward to the students' return this evening, the sorting of the new ones and enjoying a hearty feast. The oak doors to the Great Hall swung open and the returning students all rushed in, eager to get inside and dry off from the lashing September rain. He watched his students in particular and felt a surge of pride as they smiled, nodded or waved at him before going back to talking amongst themselves. Suddenly, he realised one of his students hadn't arrived yet and sat up higher in his chair to check her whereabouts when she came hurrying inside with her Hufflepuff friend, the two of them laughing and blushing at their lateness. Just as Miss Clarke sat down, she caught his eye and mouthed an apology but he just grinned at her and took an almighty swig from his goblet.

Rowena came in next, leading the new students inside. Most of them were younger than the first group that had come last year but there were still a few older ones. Godric glanced at his fellow teachers and saw Helga smiling kindly at them all and Salazar scrutinising them with narrow eyes. He nudged his friend in the ribs and Salazar jumped and winced, mock-scowling at him. Salazar grinned then, Godric's own was seemingly infectious and they turned their attentions back to the new students now lined up in front of them, looking nervous due to the gaze of the other students sat watching them.

Godric shifted in his seat as Rowena called the first one up. He took one look at the young boy and immediately found his goblet more interesting. _Next._

* * *

A Request

The leaves had just begun to fall from the trees, a rich golden red colour, when Sarah decided that it was time to have the conversation she had been dreading. She had been brought up amongst a proud family that didn't like accepting help from anyone no matter how desperate they might be and she didn't like bucking that trend now. But it was her last year at the school and she knew that she wanted to pass all of the assessments at the end of the year.

As her friends hurried off to lunch, she lingered behind, watching Professor Gryffindor close the large wooden crate that held the diricawl he had just been showing to them all. For a moment, he didn't notice that she was still there and she thought that she had better announce herself so she cleared her throat loudly and he turned around quickly, his startled expression turning into a smile when he saw her.

"Miss Clarke! Is there something I may help you with?"

"Yes, I...I think I need some help with my studies."

He frowned and Sarah immediately felt like she shouldn't have asked, not wanting to be a burden upon him when he was obviously busy. He locked the crate and gave her a questioning look. "You are certain you need it? You are one of my best students in Magical Creatures – "

"Oh! Forgive me, that is not what I am asking for help in. Astronomy is the subject I am struggling with."

"Ah!" He nodded, his confusion lifted. "Well, in truth, I had noticed it was not your best subject."

She laughed at his honesty and was happy to have it, knowing that some of the other teachers would have merely told her that she was doing fine; it was good to know that Professor Gryffindor would be frank with her.

"It is certainly not my best subject and I would be very grateful if you give me some help with it. Perhaps you could offer me some pointers or – "

"Extra lessons would be no problem at all. In truth, the other professors think I do less work than them so this shall set them right." He grinned, leaning a little too heavily on the crate and one of the struts almost buckled. He stood back up quickly.

"Oh, well...thank you." Sarah was surprised; she hadn't been hoping for extra lessons, thinking he would be too busy but she would certainly welcome them seen as they were being offered.

"It is not a problem. Just come by my office after dinner on Thursday and we shall talk about what you have been struggling with."

She nodded and thanked him again before heading back towards the castle, leaving her professor to fiddle with the crate on the soft green grass.

* * *

The First Lesson

Annie's continuous squeals and questions left Sarah feeling a mixture of nerves, confusion and excitement as she walked from Gryffindor Tower down to the first floor where all of the Professors' offices were. She reached Professor Gryffindor's door and knocked three times. She heard a sigh, the scrape of a chair and footsteps from inside the room and she straightened her skirts, telling herself to calm down. This was just a lesson and Annie's nonsense earlier shouldn't make her think any different.

The heavy door was heaved open and she smiled at her Professor. He returned her smile but looked a little confused.

"Miss Clarke! What can I do for you?"

Sarah felt her face fall a little. "I am here for my lesson. The Astronomy lesson?" He still looked blank. "I asked for extra help and you told me to come and see you after dinner."

"Oh! Yes, of course!" He stepped aside and beckoned her inside. "I completely forgot."

Sarah entered the room, feeling awkward and as though she was making him teach her when he didn't particularly want to or have time to. She sighed and said, "Professor, if you do not have the time to teach me that is fine. I can manage – "

He shook his head, brushing away her suggestion. "No, no. No need for that. I mostly certainly do have time to teach you, I assure you. I had merely forgotten about what time I told you to come. Now..." He looked around his office and reached for a large, heavy book. He pulled it out from underneath a teetering pile of parchment and, naturally, it all crashed down. Sarah picked up the parchment from the floor and placed it all back on the table as he thanked her and opened the book, brushing away a little dust.

"Right. So...what was is specifically that you were having trouble with?"

"Well, if I am honest, almost all of what you and Professor Ravenclaw have taught us so far this year. Last year was not so difficult and I could manage passably but this year, things have been so complex and I have struggled to understand some of the theories."

He nodded and looked down at the book again, leafing through it slowly. "Very well...I propose that we read through the notes of all of the lessons so far this year and you can tell me what you would like me to explain more about. Does that sound acceptable?"

Sarah beamed. "Yes, that sounds wonderful."

"Here." He gestured to the chair at the desk and she sat down, watching him clear some of the papers and goblets off his desk with amusement. He seemed a little embarrassed that his rooms were in such a mess but, in truth, she hadn't expected anything else; she, along with all of the other students, knew that Professor Gryffindor was the least organised teacher they had but he usually made up for that by being the most entertaining. He finally cleared enough space for him to perch on the desk, flicking back through the book to the start and managing to locate his own notes on the lessons he had taught. He scanned over them and made a face.

"Ah...do you have any notes? It is just that mine seem to be rather...lacking in substance."

She couldn't resist laughing when she caught sight of the pieces of parchment with a few rogue sentences and important words on them and nothing else. No detailed plan, no notes of points to go over and certainly no notes of what Professor Ravenclaw had taught. He looked surprised by her laughter but quickly joined in, admitting that preparation and details were not his speciality.

"Oh, I did not guess." She replied a little cheekily while pulling out her own notes and presenting them to him. He examined them and smiled.

"Yes, I think we should probably work from these; they are much more satisfactory." He read on a little further and murmured, without his eyes leaving the parchment, "Your handwriting is lovely."

Sarah was caught off guard by the compliment and found herself blushing wildly. She cursed inwardly, reminding herself that he had merely said that her handwriting was lovely not that _she_ was lovely_._ Thankfully, he was too engrossed in reading her notes to notice her flustered state. In truth, Sarah was frustrated with herself; acting like a silly girl did not suit her. She always prided herself on being sensible and this ridiculous infatuation did not comply with that.

It would simply have to stop. Now.

Well, Sarah reasoned, perhaps it should not stop _right_ now. After all, their hands had just accidently brushed as they both leaned over the Astronomy book and Sarah had only just resisted shivering.

It _would_ stop...after this lesson.

* * *

The Sting

Godric heard Helga sigh and rolled his eyes; a lecture on how he should be more careful was surely on its way. Sure enough...

"Oh, Godric. Why must you insist on bringing in all of these creatures? If you can become injured, then so can the students after all. Do you really think they all enjoy seeing their teacher injured by a cockatrice?"

He waved his good arm in dismissal of her warning. "Oh, they will be fine Helga. I only was injured because I was – "

"Showing off?" Helga finished with a grin and waving her wand over the deep cut on his left forearm.

The Hospital Wing had been something that Helga had insisted that she should be in charge of and her friends had no issue with her suggestion. Helga was the most caring out of all of them and it seemed only logical that she should be the one to look after the students if they became sick or were the victim of a nasty hex. Except that Helga had Godric in the Hospital Wing more than any student and it seemed she was becoming exasperated with his antics.

Helga had gone quiet and had turned her attentions from the cut to his shoulder joint which he had wrenched rather unpleasantly. He felt her eyes study him and he turned to look at her, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"What is it Helga?"

She shook her head and was obviously trying not to smile. "Nothing." She continued her work in silence, waving her wand over his sore shoulder. But it seemed Helga couldn't hold her thoughts in her head any longer and asked, "Were you showing off for Miss Clarke again?"

Godric stared at her, bewildered by her question. "What on earth do you mean?"

She snorted. "Do not pretend to not understand my meaning, Godric. You know very well what I am talking about. Was she in your class this afternoon?"

"Well, yes but..." He floundered. "That is hardly the point. I was merely trying to give them all a good look at the cockatrice. I was not trying to _'show off'_. I want them to be entertained and to find the study of Magical Creatures interesting."

Helga raised her eyebrows at his passionate defence. "This is all very well but I know there is more to it than that. You are trying to show off so Miss Clarke will pay more attention to you."

Godric spluttered. "Helga, where has this come from? It is nonsense!"

Helga sighed and lowered her wand. "If it is obvious to me, it is obvious to everyone else; you favour her over your other students and you cannot!"

"I do not, Helga!" Godric insisted.

She rolled her eyes. "You cannot hide if from me, Godric. But if you want to continue hiding from yourself...well that is your choice. Just be careful; you do not want a scandal to break out." With a final wave of her wand, Helga was finished and Godric stood up, straightening out his shirt and frowning.

"I am glad to be going, Helga, so we can finish this ludicrous conversation. I honestly do not know where you get these silly ideas from sometimes."

"Keep denying it to yourself Godric, but you cannot fool me."

Godric glared as Helga dismissed him with an expression torn between amusement and concern. He shook his head at her and strode out of the Hospital Wing and onto the main staircase where he collided with something short and soft.

"Oh! Sorry Professor!"

He looked down to see Miss Clarke smiling up at him and he couldn't resist smiling back despite knowing that Helga could probably see and hear everything.

"Are you quite well after your earlier incident with the cockatrice?" She asked sweetly. Her expression turned into barely contained amusement as she recalled the lesson. "He did look awfully fierce and he seemed rather angry at you being so casual with him."

Godric was sure he could hear Helga titter with laugher behind him. "Ah, yes. Well, it seemed that carelessness cost me some skin and a healthy shoulder joint so I shan't be doing it again."

"I am glad. You gave us all quite a scare."

"Hurry Sarah!" Godric saw Miss Kenneth calling for her friend at the top of the stairs. "Oh, excuse me Professor." Miss Kenneth apologised, spotting Godric there and smiling slightly as she looked from him back to her friend.

"Coming Annie!" Miss Clarke called back, before turning back to Godric and saying, "Well...I must go." She was halfway up the stairs when she called back down to him. "I shall see you after dinner, Professor?"

"Ah yes, of course! Farewell until then, Miss Clarke."

She smiled and joined her friend and the two them wandered out of sight, gossiping and giggling. Helga came to stand by Godric, watching the students rush past them, eager to get back to their dorms now lessons were over. She gave him a worried look.

"What is happening after dinner, Godric?"

He couldn't help but laugh at her serious expression. "Oh, do not fear Helga there is no scandal. Miss Clarke is struggling with her Astronomy studies and I am giving her a little extra tuition. It is nothing to be concerned about."

"Make sure it is not. While you may be able to control any feelings you may have, Miss Clarke is a young woman and she may not. For once Godric, I am afraid you will have to be the sensible one."

He laughed again and rolled his eyes. "Honestly Helga! There is no problem here! I am not guilty of any favouritism and Miss Clarke is not harbouring some illicit infatuation for me."

* * *

Falling Into Routine

_This illicit infatuation has to stop_, Sarah told herself firmly as she knocked on Professor Gryffindor's door after dinner one wintery night.

He pulled open the door and beckoned her in with a smile. Sarah wandered inside and was surprised to see that he had laid out notes on the desk ready. She had an extra lesson with him most weeks since the first one two months ago and he had never once had any notes so she wondered why he had decided that he should be a little more organised now. She leafed through them with a raised eyebrow.

"I confess myself impressed. I did not think you had the patience to write all of this."

He glanced over his shoulder, pouring a goblet of wine as he did. He chuckled. "Oh, I did not. Helga – _Professor Hufflepuff_ – foisted one of my younger students on me after lessons. Apparently he had been throwing parchment at some of the Slytherin students." Instead of sounding irritated, he merely sounded amused. "His punishment was to write up all of those notes." He plucked them from her fingers and surveyed them himself. "He did a fine job. Let us hope he finds trouble more often. We may have a decent set of notes."

She laughed and accepted the drink he offered, sipping at it before placing the gold goblet on the desk in front of her and taking a seat without him offering it. He took up his usual place on the edge of the desk and handed her back the notes asking,

"What would you like to discuss today?"

Sarah discarded parchment after parchment until finally she rested on a page that contained information she was clueless about.

"I can never remember the names of all of the constellations. Perhaps we could go over them and find a way for me to recall them." He nodded slowly, thinking. She smiled slightly as she watched him. "Surely you can think of something to aid me? Through all of your travels, you must have learned how to navigate by the stars?"

"Well yes, of course." He thought a little longer before finally saying, "I suppose I could begin by telling you about the first constellation I ever learned about: Leo."

Sarah settled back in the warm chair, enjoying the warmth of the thick red throw and slid off her shoes, tucking up her feet beneath her. He had, on occasion, told her tales of his travels before he had settled down to build Hogwarts with his friends and she always enjoyed them.

"If I recall correctly, it was a clear night and I was sleeping beneath the stars with a group of fellow travellers who I had met earlier that day. I was young then, a little inexperienced I will not lie, and among the group was an old wizard who barely ever took his eyes off the stars. I asked him what he found so fascinating about the sky and he began telling me that the stars were so much more than navigational tools; he told me of each constellation's story. I was intrigued by each one but it was the story of Leo that caught my attention."

He paused here to take a swig from his goblet and he cleared his throat loudly before continuing.

"In mythology, it was said that, as part of his twelve labours, Heracles the fearsome warrior had to slay a lion; a supposedly invulnerable beast. After blocking the lion in its cave, he fought it and managed to choke it to death. Once he had killed the lion, he used its teeth to strip it of its skin and he fashioned it into a cloak. He then wore the lion's head atop of his own to make him look even fiercer than before."

He finished the story and Sarah frowned into the silence. "I am sorry, Professor but I do not understand. Why did the story of the defeated lion influence you to use it as the symbol of Gryffindor? Surely it would have been far more logical to use a truly invulnerable creature?"

He chuckled and slightly and nodded. "I understand your ideas and I confess that I thought the same after hearing the tale. But as the days passed and my fellow travellers and I parted ways, the story stayed with me and I could not fathom why that was. Then, as I became older, I realised why: no creature is truly invulnerable. And the power of the lion does not lie in its strength: it lies in its ability to remain fearless even in death. And that is how it lives on...through legend and myths. It was at then that I knew that I needed to consider what I myself would leave behind."

Sarah considered this for a moment and she felt the story's true meaning open up to her. "It was due to the tale surrounding Leo that you decided to open Hogwarts?"

He nodded. "One of the reasons, yes. I wanted to ensure that when I was ready to pass on, I would be able to look back through my life and know that I had achieved something."

The lesson continued well into the evening and Sarah lost track of time as she listened to her Professor tell her tale after tale, sinking back into the chair that surrounded her with comforting warmth she was reluctant to give up.

* * *

_Thanks for reading and please leave a review...they're my favourite things!_


	3. Year Two: Part II

**A/N:** _Sorry for the slight delay in this chapter but uni work has been mental! Hope you enjoy it anyway :)_

_As ever, thanks to those who reviewed: **Moonlight Dreaming, MayFairy, Loki'd-into-oblivion, Val66 **and **Phantomhawk-writer.**_

* * *

**YEAR TWO: PART II**

The Winter Solstice Ball

Godric could not have been more enthused when Helga suggested that they should have a ball to mark Winter Solstice. In their first year, Winter Solstice had been an enjoyable but quiet affair and Godric wasn't used to it. He was accustom to noise, cheer and vigorous celebration and he was overjoyed when the others all agreed: this year, a ball would be held.

Helga had taken charge of organising most of it but Godric insisted on helping her, even though he knew she often found him more of a hindrance than a help. But he pushed on nonetheless, levitating decorations onto every free space of walls of the Great Hall and enchanting the torches on the walls so they glowed with a soft pinkish hue, bathing the hall in a relaxing, merry light.

Together, they had moved the hall's tables to the side which left a large space in the middle of the room for dancing. They kept the staff table on the stage though and this was where Helga had set up a huge selection of food for both staff and students to pick at whenever they felt like. After that, Helga had insisted that they close the doors to the hall and dress ready for the ball.

It was past dusk when Godric found himself stationed at the doors once again, with a large tankard in his hand and a wide grin on his face. He was enjoying watching the younger students play and dance together and laughed at their clumsiness.

Some of the students were still wandering in; mostly the older ones who were allowed to stay longer than their younger counterparts and had decided to arrive a little later. Godric greeted them before he felt himself get pulled in to the energetic dance he had just been watching. He laughed and leapt around with the rest of them, knowing that grace wasn't his strength but enthusiasm certainly was.

The music changed to a slow tune and he removed himself from the centre of the crowd of young students, laughing as they protested his leaving.

"You have all exhausted me! I must have a drink!"

He took the steps up the staff table and poured himself another tankard full of mead. Helga leaned against the table next to him, looking out at all of the students and smiling.

"You are enjoying yourself, Godric." She took in his rosy cheeks and his shortness of breath.

"Of course I am! There is dancing, there is food, there is mead...what more could I want?"

Helga laughed and nodded. "Quite right! I fear Salazar is thinking that this is a little too free for him." Godric glanced over Helga's shoulder to see Salazar picking at the food. "He thinks that perhaps we should have taught them the dances a little more rather than just giving them the basic steps."

Godric rolled his eyes. "Oh, nonsense! Let them have their fun! This is meant to be a break from their teachings not an extension of it. Besides..." Godric trailed off as his eye was caught by two figures coming through the doors. The first figure was one of Helga's students, pale and dark-haired haired with a shy smile on her face. But it was the second figure that had caught his eye. It was Miss Clarke but as he had never seen her before.

Her dark blonde hair was up in an elegant bun and her lips were coloured a deep red to match her heavy skirts that were lined with gold. Her eyes met his and she smiled sweetly making him feel suddenly short of breath.

"She looks very lovely." Helga said in an almost cautious tone, following his gaze.

Godric cleared his throat and turned away from his eldest student and replied, hoping to sound off-hand: "Yes, I suppose she does."

He saw Helga arch an eyebrow in suspicion but he quickly excused himself to immerse himself in a conversation with Salazar, hoping to shake off this peculiar tension that was coiling uncomfortably in his stomach.

Later that evening, when the younger students had gone to bed, Godric was ambling around the food table for the sixth time that night when he collided with a soft figure.

"Oh!" It was Miss Clarke, smiling and blushing at the same time. "I am sorry, Professor."

Godric felt a growing warmth in his chest. "Ah, I think it was all my fault not yours."

"You could not tear your eyes away from the food, perhaps?" She grinned at her own teasing and made to pour some wine into her goblet but he halted her with a hand on her wrist.

"Oh, you do not truly want that wine, do you?" He took a quick glance around to check that no one was watching. "Why not try the mead Professor Slytherin and I have been brewing?"

She raised her eyebrows. "Is it good?"

He placed a hand over his heart dramatically. "Miss Clarke, it is the_ best_, I assure you."

She let out a giggle and offered him her goblet. "Very well. I shall try a goblet full."

He pulled out the small barrel from under the table and quickly filled her goblet. "Take it – quickly! Before Professor Ravenclaw sees and tells us both off."

She took her goblet from him and sipped the contents gingerly. She swallowed and then spluttered, coughing. "It is very..." She struggled to find the words. "It is rather...full bodied."

He laughed and nodded. "It is strong, I cannot deny that. I best not give you any more than that goblet full or you shall be merry. I only gave you that because you are older than the rest and I should imagine you can hold your drink by now."

She nodded before glancing down at her fellow students. "What about Annie? She is the same age as me."

"Ah, but she is not my student! Her wellbeing is Professor Hufflepuff's concern and I daren't tread on her toes."

She laughed again. "Quite right. She is very kindly but I should not like to find myself on the wrong side of her."

The music, that had been slow for quite a while, suddenly started up in a much jollier tune. He watched the remaining students cheer and rush around to find a partner. One of the male students called out,

"Professor Gryffindor! Join us?"

"Alas, I do not have a partner!" He replied loudly.

"Sarah can dance with you, Professor!" Godric recognised Miss Clarke's friend smiling up at them both. When he glanced back to his student next to him, he swore he saw her glare at her friend before masking it quickly with a beaming smile.

"They are demanding we join them." Godric said, feeling heartened by the opportunity to dance once more.

She smiled and placed her goblet down on the table. "So they are. I suppose we should not disappoint them, should we?"

He offered her his arm and she took it, holding up her skirts off the floor with the other. He led her down the steps to the floor where the others were already dancing and they quickly joined in, laughing. The dance was quick and Godric danced it enthusiastically, twirling her around and around and grinning at the sound of her laughter. Godric had a hard time remembering when he had last been so completely carefree until he realised it had been the last time he had a lesson with Miss Clarke and he had been regaling her with an old tavern tale that she had found irresistibly amusing...

Then Godric saw Helga watching them with an uncharacteristic frown on her face and he had the overwhelming feeling that he was doing something horribly wrong. He released her waist quickly and stepped back, nearly treading on a young student's toes. He apologised quickly and gave Miss Clarke a slight smile and wave before weaving through the students and back to the safety of the staff table, leaving her alone on the dance floor.

He avoided her the rest of the night and had difficulty meeting Helga's gaze when she spoke to him.

* * *

The Astronomy Tower

A week after the Ball, Sarah was apprehensive about her private lesson with Professor Gryffindor.

She had been completely baffled as to why he had abandoned her on the dance floor when they had been having so much fun dancing and laughing. It had happened so suddenly, she had no opportunity to ask him about it. In the school lessons since, he hadn't been so forthcoming in talking to her and she found him uncharacteristically reserved and focussed.

She knocked softly on the door, hoping she wasn't disturbing him and that he was indeed expecting her. He pulled the door open and gave her smile that wasn't quite as open and true as the ones he usually gave her. She smiled back, unsure.

"Hello, Miss Clarke. Come in. I have notes waiting."

She frowned and followed him inside. He had notes waiting? Since when did he ever have notes for her? And ones that he himself had actually written? She looked at them and then back up at him. He was still giving her that oddly uncomfortable smile.

"Uh...Professor? Thank you for these notes but I thought we were studying in the Astronomy Tower this evening?"

She watched his face fall.

"The Astronomy Tower?" He repeated. She nodded. "Under the stars?"

She frowned again. "Well...yes. We _are_ studying astronomy."

He cleared his throat and gave her another odd smile. "Yes, yes. Of course! Forgive me; I had forgotten that I had spoken about that last lesson. Right," He turned back to the desk as he leafed through the parchment to find everything he needed. "Allow me to gather all my things."

Sarah bit her lip and hesitated before asking, "Professor, is there anything I have done to upset you? You seem a little...off."

He stopped fussing with his parchment and his books and met her eyes at last. He sighed and said, "No, it is just..." He stopped and was evidently conflicted in deciding what he was going to say next. Eventually, he continued. "No. No, you have not done anything to upset me. Of course not. I am merely tired."

Sarah wasn't convinced but she was cheered to know that at least his change in mood was not due to an error on her part.

He had seized everything he needed and gave the office one last look around before saying,

"Right then. Shall we go?"

* * *

The Astronomy Tower was far too much of a romantic setting for Godric's liking.

That was why had had been so reluctant to take the lesson up there, despite remembering that he had promised to do so at the end of the last lesson. But that had been before the Winter Solstice Ball and before Godric had realised that his affectionate feelings for Miss Clarke had begun to transform into something a little more inappropriate.

"So that is Leo there?" Her voice broke him from his thoughts and he told himself to relax. She was already onto the fact that his attitude towards her had changed and he didn't want her to push the matter.

"Yes it is."

She smiled at that, evidently pleased with herself that she had finally managed to identify a constellation. He watched her search the sky and shiver. He pulled his cloak off and handed it to her. Even in the cold, dark winter air, he could see her cheeks flush slightly as she took it and slid it around her own shoulders.

"Thank you." She consulted the book in front of her before searching the sky once more. "And that is Andromeda, is it not?"

He smiled, enthused by her progress. "That is correct, yes."

She beamed and sighed happily. "Oh, thank you for these lessons, Professor. I would have been so miserably awful if you had not consented to help."

He waved a hand, trying not to notice how she had curled herself into his cloak. "Oh, think nothing of it."

* * *

Exams

Sarah bit her lip and squirmed in her seat, frowning down at the parchment in front of her. She had already managed to get through Magical Creatures, Charms, Herbology and Potions but now she was sitting her Astronomy exam and she was worried this may shake her confidence for the coming exams.

_Identify the circled constellations._

She scoured the page, panic setting in. But she remembered what Professor Hufflepuff had said to them all before they started their exams: _"Do not fear if there is a question you do not know the answer to. Just take a deep breath and do your best. No one could ask any more of you."_

Sarah took a deep breath, as Professor Hufflepuff recommended, and looked down at the parchment again. She titled her head slightly and squinted before grinning suddenly and writing next to one of the circles:

_Leo._

* * *

Sarah's results came in three days later.

She stood in the Great Hall in the queue along with the other students who were also in their last year. They all fidgeted and looked at each other, smiling nervously. Occasionally, one of them would talk about which subject they were sure that they had failed and which subjects they thought they had passed. Sarah made no comment, too anxious to speculate. Most subjects she was relatively comfortable with but the thought of Astronomy filled her with dread.

If she had failed that, she wouldn't be just disappointing herself. Professor Gryffindor had given up his own time to help her all year and if it had all been for nothing...she wasn't sure she could look him in the face.

Professor Ravenclaw was in charge of handing out the results and Sarah felt her insides churn as she began calling out students' names.

"Sarah Clarke."

She stepped up and took the piece of folded parchment from Professor Ravenclaw's hand before wandering away, clutching it tight. She saw Annie give her a questioning look but she tried to ignore her, wanting to open it in private. She found a quiet corner of the Great Hall away from others who were squealing or sniffling and opened the parchment up.

She had passed everything.

She let out a breathy laugh of relief. There were some subjects that she hadn't had very high marks in like Arithmancy and Divination but she hadn't expected them to be very high. _But she had passed._ And Astronomy too! She felt the grin on her face grow when she saw that Astronomy was her fourth highest mark. Who would have thought it? She heard a squeal and a hand on her arm and it was Annie, clapping excitedly and waving her own results.

She hugged her friend tight and laughed.

* * *

A Final Meeting

Godric shrugged off his leather waistcoat and stretched before throwing himself into his desk chair. He leaned forward to pour himself a generous goblet of wine and took a long glug before letting out a sigh and sitting back in his chair. He was stuck in an odd mood that he couldn't pull himself out of and it was bothering him.

He hadn't been his usual jovial self at the feast that evening and he found his eyes kept straying from his friends to the tables of students in front of him. Or, if he was being more honest, his eyes kept straying to Miss Clarke. He had been conscious that Helga might notice but thankfully she had decided to sit next to Salazar who was keeping her preoccupied.

All week, Godric had been wondering how their goodbye would go, if he even had a chance to speak with her before she left. He couldn't fathom a reason why he would be able to speak with her alone and he wasn't even sure he wanted to, not knowing what he would say if he had the opportunity. And now the final feast had come and gone and he still hadn't said goodbye to her.

He drained his goblet and set in back down on the table, watching the red jewels in its base glitter in the light from the smoldering fire. He almost jumped when there was a soft knock on his door. But Godric Gryffindor did not jump.

"Come!" He called and winced at how harsh he sounded.

The door creaked open and he straightened in his chair when Miss Clarke edged around the door, smiling a little shyly. She stepped inside just enough to close the door behind her and he wasn't sure if he should beckon her closer. There was a moment where neither of them spoke. Then she held up a book she had in her hand.

"I came to return this to you."

He stood slowly and took it from her. He turned it over in his hands, let the cover flick open and brushed his fingers over a scribble of ink on the first page he knew hadn't been there before he had lent it to her. He smiled and held it back out to her.

"Keep it."

Her eyes widened and she said, "Are you sure?"

He nodded and she took it tentatively as though she was suspecting him to pull it away at the last second. Another odd silence fell over them and they both fidgeted, Godric torn between joy that he would have the chance to speak with her and peculiar nervous he couldn't shake.

"I am glad – "

"It is odd – "

They both spoke and stopped at once. She laughed and said, "You first."

"I am glad you have come."

"Are you?" Her voice was not as bold as usual as she edged forwards slightly. He wondered how close she would come.

Godric mentally shook himself and cleared his throat. Just because the final feast was over and, technically, he was no longer her professor didn't mean he could do anything inappropriate and act as though he had been waiting for this very moment like some leering old man.

"Yes, I wanted to congratulate you on your results."

She blushed and he smiled affectionately. "Thank you, Professor. Though, I confess, I think my success was mostly down to you."

He waved a hand. "Oh, nonsense. I merely pointed you in the right direction and you did the rest. You do not give yourself enough credit; you are very intelligent and you are more than capable of passing the exam by yourself." He stopped suddenly and looked down at the stone floor, thinking maybe he had been a little too gushing. When he pulled his gaze back up, she was stood at the edge of the desk and brushing her fingers along its rough edge.

"It is odd to think I will be gone in the morning...and that I will not be coming back." She frowned and he wasn't sure what to do; all he knew was that he wanted to rid her face of it.

"Would you like a drink?"

She seemed surprised but nodded anyway. He found another goblet on one of the shelves on the wall and quickly wiped the inside out with his shirt, clearing it of dust. He sloshed wine into it a little too quickly and wondered why he was so on edge. He had been with her alone like this so many times since this school year had begun and just because this was the last time, it didn't mean he should lose his confidence now. '_She is just a young woman, Godric,' _he chastised himself. '_You have met plenty of those on your travels.'_

But it felt wrong to think of other women now and he pushed the thought away, handing her the goblet. Why was he struggling for things to say? They usually talked so freely that it didn't ever seem like they were teacher and student. Perhaps that was where he had gone wrong.

He watched her take a big swig and wondered if she felt the same odd nerves that he did. His own goblet was empty but he didn't want to relinquish his grasp on it, finding some comfort in having a barrier between them.

"I will miss it here." She said, swilling her wine around her goblet and looking at him over the top of it. "The castle is so homely and everyone here is so lovely."

He shifted awkwardly, wondering if she was suggesting that _he_ was lovely. Or was she hinting at the fact that she knew that he thought _she _was lovely? Or was she perhaps merely inviting him to comment? He clutched his empty goblet tighter.

Then Godric Gryffindor, known by so many for his bravery and nerve, realised he was being completely ridiculous.

Instead of letting himself get confused by all these unfamiliar nerves, he just thought about what he actually wanted to say. He had been wondering if he would have the chance to speak with her before she left and here she was, within arms' reach, waiting to hear whatever he had to say. He placed his empty goblet on the table.

"You will be missed."

He felt a weight lift from his shoulders and was surprised at how good it felt to simply speak honestly. He _would_ miss her and he couldn't remember why it had been so hard to admit it.

She looked at him with such an odd expression he couldn't work out what she was thinking.

"I will?" She asked edging forwards slightly and setting her goblet down on the desk next to his. "By whom?"

She was stood so close and was looking up at him with such naive expectation. All he would have to do was lean down...

"I am sure your housemates will miss you." He murmured. "And you friends in other houses. And me."

"You will?"

"Very much."

A vision of Helga's face, disapproving and disappointed, burst unbidden into his mind. _"You do not want a scandal to break out...for once Godric, I am afraid you will have to be the sensible one."_ He thought of what his friends would say if they found out he kissed her, what the students would say, whether they would actually _have_ any students if parents found out.

But then he thought, '_oh, curse sensible'_ and kissed her.

A part of him had still expected her to jump away and call him a brute, but she melted against him and her fingers curled softly into his shirt. His arm slid around her waist, pulling her a little closer so he could feel her soft form against him. The kiss was light but he could feel so much behind it for both of them; a sort desperation stemming from the knowledge that this was both their first and their last kiss.

When they parted, he found that he was reluctant to release her.

"I have to leave."

He wasn't sure if she meant now or tomorrow. He found both options equally painful.

* * *

Freedom

Sarah pulled her case along behind her, hearing but not really listening to Annie's persistent prattle about how exciting it was to be leaving and finally getting on with their lives without instruction. Sarah didn't share her friend's enthusiasm.

She followed Annie down the stairs – levitating their cases behind them as they went – and stepped through the great double doors. As it was summer, it was mild outside but the wind was sharp, cold and cutting, making Sarah wince and bury her face into her cloak.

Professor Hufflepuff was waiting outside, counting the students collected there. Sarah couldn't understand why none of them looked how she felt; she was amazed at how happy they all seemed. It was like they were beginning a great new adventure. Sarah felt like hers was coming to end and now everything was stretching out before her, uncertain and dark.

Professor Hufflepuff began speaking to them all, congratulating them on their good results and wishing them all the best in their future work but Sarah wasn't listening. Behind Professor Hufflepuff, the others professors had emerged and were watching. Sarah's gaze slid over Professors Slytherin and Ravenclaw before stopping on Gryffindor, who was shifting, looking a little uncomfortable. Or was she just imagining it, just seeing what she wanted to see?

Since their kiss last night, Sarah had experienced a confusing mixture of emotion; excitement at what had happened, guilt when she considered what might happen if anyone found out and grief that she was leaving the place she had come to think of as her home.

Professor Hufflepuff had evidently finished talking as the other students were all moving again, chattering about what they were going to do once they'd left. Sarah moved to join them slowly. She walked backwards for a few steps, taking in the stunning castle, Gryffindor tower and, finally, the man himself. She thought that he had moved, away from his fellow professors and slightly closer to her but she shook the thought away.

She took in his tall frame and his wild red hair before turning away, walking down the steps and reaching the carriages that were waiting to take her away, through the expanse of empty fields and over the rolling hills.

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_I hope you enjoyed the chapter and please leave a review :)_

_Only one more chapter to go!_


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